More Trinity River Vision Letters

Yesterday we were asked WHO would you contact if you wanted to find out WHY so many millions of tax dollars are being spent/wasted on the Trinity River Vision/Trinity Uptown/Central City project.

Good question. If you write your Congresswoman, you are writing the project leader's mom, that secured the funds. Is that a conflict of interest?

Today there were two more Letters to the Editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram daily newspaper. If all else fails, write them. Daily.

Finally catching on

Congratulations to the Star-Telegram Editorial Board for finally catching on to what Trinity Uptown critics have said for years. It’s an economic development dud that creates more need for flood control than it fixes. It is near triple the 2003 estimate of $360 million. The addition of canals and other amenities may cost as much as the original price tag for the whole project.

The editorial was correct that a lot of the changes in financing are "worrisome." In the next breath, however, it complimented J.D. Granger and the river authority for putting together a plan that would work. Why would it? This is the fourth revision since the 2003 estimate.

In a June 12, 2005, Star-Telegram article on Trinity Uptown, my husband was quoted as saying, "I expect costs will easily reach $700 million before it’s done. We always underestimate the costs and overestimate the economic benefits." His estimate was a little low and he has since predicted costs exceeding $1 billion. The mention of site contamination and cleanup costs in another article would seem to confirm that prediction.

— Tru Picht, Fort Worth

Trinity runs green

What is it about the Trinity River that causes Tarrant County leaders to dump hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into it?

First it was the incompetent leadership of Tarrant County College, gashing a hole in the river bank downtown to build a still unused fiasco of a building. For them, spending more than $1,500 a square foot seemed reasonable, while nearly tripling our college district taxes.

Now the Tarrant Regional Water District — after spending $1.5 million just for the roof on its new annex — intends to spend $880 million on the "Trinity River Vision." The cost has more than doubled from the original $360 million, even though it has barely started. And this while we have a hard time finding $3 million to help actual people, the homeless, get off the street.

Where are the true leaders who will represent the residents of Tarrant County and put an end to this madness? Where are the media investigations and outrage? It certainly won’t be the current crowd who will lead reform, since Kay Granger’s son earns a six-figure salary for his part in this porkulus boondoggle. With more than a billion taxpayer dollars dumped into it, the Trinity should be running green for a long time.

— Marc Rogers, Fort Worth